Jan 27, 2014

University Games Spotlights New Products Designed to Engage the Mind, Encourage Interaction and Inspire Fun

University Games, the leader in social interaction and learning games for adults and children, introduces several new product lines including Brain Quest® Learning Systems, STEAM games and kits, My StudioGirl™ and new additions to their popular BePuzzled® category – Hanayama Cast Puzzles and Smart Egg™ Labyrinth Puzzles – at Toy Fair in New York starting February 16.

“We continually look to add games and products that both delight and engage our customers,” said Chairman of University Games Bob Moog. “We are committed to leading categories that combine learning, interaction and just plain fun.”

This year, the 2014 new product introductions reflect emerging trends towards engaged learning and brain fitness added Moog. The company will show their entire suite of products under seven brands (University Games, BePuzzled®, WizzWorx™, My StudioGirl™, Colorforms®, Great Explorations® and Front Porch Classics®) at Toy Fair with a spotlight on the following categories.

LEARNING GAMES

Addressing the needs of parents and educators for products that align with the Common Core Standards and growing focus towards developing more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathmatics) educated graduates (1), University Games introduces two new lines.

Brain Quest® Learning Systems

Twelve new Brain Quest games and activities encourage children to develop in the areas of Language Arts, Math, Memory, Logic/Problem Solving and Coordination. Utilizing the Commom Core Standards, standards adopted by the majority of US states to best prepare students for college and careers (2), University Games offers 12 games covering pre-K to 6th Grade. Games retail between $10-$20 and are available at some Toys R Us and specialty retailers.

STEAM

STEAM disciplines cover the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics in an attempt to combine left- and right-brained thinking. The first system of its kind, STEAM is designed to prepare children for the 21st century with the aim of readying them for success in whatever direction their careers take. STEAM science kits, art projects and educational games feature compelling themes which interest and excite young minds. For ages 8+, STEAM products retail for $20 each.

CRAFTS

A new direction for University Games, the company adds a new craft line designed to inspire creativity and self-expression in girls.

My StudioGirl™

A new craft line for girls ages 5+, My StudioGirl offers a variety of easy-to-make craft projects complete with all supplies needed. Sure to delight any creative girl, the My StudioGirl line includes Sewing and Felt Craft Kits (My Best Friend Dolls, Travel Buddies, Precious Pals, Sew Cutes, Missy Long Sox Dolls, Dress Up Dolls, Felt Hang-Abouts, Felt Cupcakes, Fatsie Mini Cushions), Air Dry Modeling Clay Kits (Wind-Up Walking Families, Wind-Up Walking Onsies), 3D Magic Dough sculptures, Paper Maiche Friends, Taggles fashion dress-up reusable stickers and more. Kits retail between $4 and $17.

BRAIN FITNESS

Brain fitness continues to gain momentum with the public focus on brain training products (3). Since the 80s, University Games has been on the forefront of this emerging trend offering brain teasers and puzzles that exercise the mind. Brain teasers boost brain activity, enhance memory and processing speed, improves concentration and helps reduce the risk for dementia. Unlike technology based brain training products, physical brain teasers and puzzles like Hanayama and Smart Egg™ maintain and improve dexterity as well as spatial reasoning – the ability to recreate visual experience and reasoning about shape, measurement, depiction and navigation, which is useful in physics, math and computer science plus creativity and innovation according to the journal of psychological science (4).

Hanayama Cast Puzzles (For ages 12+)

University Games has joined forces with Hanayama of Japan to bring the world’s finest cast puzzles to the United States. Puzzle inventors worldwide compete to be chosen for Hanayama’s challenging line. University Games offers a variety of Hanayama puzzles ranging from Level 1 (Easy) to Level 6 (Very Difficult). Available at Barnes & Nobles, Amazon, Books-a-Million and toy, game and speciality retailers, Hanayama puzzles retail for $10-13 each (MSRP).

Smart Egg™ Labyrinth Puzzles (For ages 8+)

University Games introduces the Smart Egg Labyrinth Puzzle, a new 3D brain teaser that will challenge minds with an endless number of variation retailing for $10-12 each (MSRP). Playing the Smart Egg requires 3D and spatial memory, dexterity, excellent logic and problem solving skills. The first collection of products includes six eggs: Jester, Hive, Techno, Skull, Groovy, and Lava. The Smart Egg hails from the same country as the Rubix Cube and was developed by Hungarian game inventor Andres Zagyai.

ABOUT UNIVERSITY GAMES

Founded in 1985, University Games has developed and manufactured over 200 games with a niche in social interaction and learning games for adults and children. The company philosophy has always been to offer games that encourage social interaction and imagination through gameplay, with learning sprinkled in to season the game. The company offers a suite of games, puzzles and kids learning and activity sets under University Games, BePuzzled®, WizzWorx™, My StudioGirl™, Colorforms®, Great Explorations® and Front Porch Classics®. To learn more about University Games, go towww.universitygames.com.